holler later this week, meeting to discuss and vote the hagel nomination. you can watch it live on c-span 3. those are some of the latest headlines on c-span radio. >> having observed a steady improvements in the opportunity and well-being of our citizens, i can report to you, the state of this old but useful union is good. >> once again, in keeping with time-honored traditions, i have come to inform you on the state of the union and i am pleased to import that america is much improved and there is reason to believe that it will continue. >> my duty tonight is to report on the state of the union, not the state of our government, but of our american community. and i set forth our responsibilities, in the words of our founders, to form a more perfect union. the state of the union is from. >> as we gather tonight, our nation is at war, our economy is in recession, and the civilized world faces unprecedented danger is, yet the state of our union has never been stronger. >> is because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the st